In 2023, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, a journal founded by some of the physicists who worked on the Manhattan Project, moved the Doomsday Clock to 90 seconds to midnight. The clock is a measure of how close we are to global catastrophe, whether from military or environmental threats. As of January 2024, it’s still 90 seconds to midnight.
Entrepreneur Yuri Milner believes humanity needs a shared mission to avoid such catastrophe and ensure we survive and thrive. In his short book Eureka Manifesto: The Mission for Our Civilisation, he proposes that we unite to explore and understand our Universe.
Firstly, we should embrace this mission because, as a sentient species, we can. But secondly, because pursuing the mission will drive scientific progress. Milner believes innovation, especially through collaboration, is the only way we will overcome the existential threats we face.
The Importance of Scientific Progress
In our modern world of artificial intelligence (AI) and global connectivity, scientific progress might seem inevitable, like a law of nature. However, progress isn’t a straight line, and history shows us that enlightenments can fail.
Before the Scientific Revolution of the 16th and 17th centuries, many proto-revolutions arose and subsided before they could crystallise into lasting movements. Sometimes, a lack of support in the broader culture hindered their development. Sometimes, political turmoil disrupted their progress.
For instance, in 15th-century Florence, the puritanical cult of Savonarola stifled an embryonic enlightenment. Similarly, in 20th-century Germany, the Nazis attacked Einstein’s theory of relativity as “Jewish science,” viewing it as a perversion of common sense that needed erasing from intellectual history.
The Prevalence of Pseudoscientific Beliefs
Although these examples may seem relegated to history, Milner reminds us that “irrational and pseudoscientific ideas remain highly popular today.”
Research from the 2020 YouGov-Cambridge Globalism Project shows just how widespread beliefs in certain common conspiracy theories are. For example:
- 27% of U.S. citizens and 9% of Britons believe that global warming is a hoax.
- 19% of U.S. citizens and 7% of Britons think a secret group or organisation deliberately created and spread the AIDS virus.
- 29% of U.S. citizens and 20% of Britons believe that humanity has made contact with aliens and that officials have deliberately hidden this fact from the public.
In Stephen Hawking’s book Brief Answers to the Big Questions, the late, great scientist writes: “Education and science and technology research are endangered now more than ever before. Due to the recent global financial crisis and austerity measures, funding is being significantly cut to all areas of science, but in particular the fundamental sciences have been badly affected.”
Hawking adds: “With Brexit and Trump now exerting new forces in relation to immigration and the development of education, we are witnessing a global revolt against experts, which includes scientists.”
This growing scepticism toward science underscores Milner’s warning in Eureka Manifesto: “If we allow scientific progress to stall, it will ultimately mean the end of our civilisation.”
How We Can Drive Scientific Progress
Investing In Fundamental Research and Space Exploration
Today, humanity faces significant challenges, including climate change, energy scarcity, and as-yet incurable diseases such as Parkinson’s. Science holds the key to solving most of these issues.
Milner believes redirecting a much greater share of resources to fundamental research is the most effective strategy to tackle these challenges. Investing in this scientific field can accelerate progress as it’s “the most fertile ground for transformative discoveries and technologies.”
Space exploration is another critical area that demands increased investment, as it can move humanity closer to becoming a spacefaring civilisation.
Milner argues that spreading amongst the stars would help us survive potential Earth-bound disasters, like an asteroid collision or a nearby supernova. He references Elon Musk’s efforts to colonise Mars as a prime example of this forward-thinking approach.
Hawking also believed expanding beyond Earth is essential to our survival. In Brief Answers to the Big Questions, he writes: “It is time to explore other solar systems. Spreading out may be the only thing that saves us from ourselves. I am convinced that humans need to leave Earth. If we stay, we risk being annihilated.”
Harnessing AI
We are currently witnessing a leap in our technological capabilities as AI continues to evolve. Revolutions in data science and advancements in machine learning are opening up new possibilities in many scientific fields. For instance, in astronomy, AI is enabling innovative methods for searching for signs of life beyond Earth.
Milner sees humanity as “standing on the brink of a new phase transition, in which human intelligence, even networked together, will no longer be the highest intelligence on Earth.” He writes: “Such a leap has the potential to radically accelerate the pace of scientific progress.”
Milner believes that, by directing more AI research towards fundamental science in particular, we can unlock unprecedented discoveries and advancements. He writes: “The immense potential of this technology can power dramatic, perhaps transformational progress on the biggest questions and significantly improve our lives.”
Working Together
Consider the individuals who have profoundly expanded our understanding of the Universe. Names like Archimedes and Einstein likely come to mind. While individually brilliant, these groundbreaking thinkers did not emerge in isolation. They were products of cultures that valued science and rational thought.
Although only a few people will make the big discoveries that advance our understanding, each of us plays a crucial role in fostering the environment necessary for such breakthroughs. As Milner writes in Eureka Manifesto, cultures build “a shared store of knowledge.”
By spreading this knowledge across continents and over generations, we create “a deeper and richer picture of the world than has ever existed before on the planet.” Global collaboration, particularly in science, can help ensure that our civilisation continues to thrive well into the future.
Read about how scientific progress can benefit humanity in Yuri Milner’s Eureka Manifesto.
About Yuri Milner
Yuri Milner is a technology entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and philanthropist. His internet investment firm DST Global has been instrumental to the growth of some of the world’s most successful tech companies, including Facebook, Twitter, and Alibaba.
Widely recognised for his philanthropic contributions to science, Milner is a signatory of the Giving Pledge. Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and Melinda French Gates launched the initiative in 2010. The Giving Pledge inspires the world’s wealthiest individuals to commit to donating most of their wealth to good causes.
Milner established the Breakthrough Foundation to realise his Giving Pledge and support global scientific collaboration. The Foundation funds science-focused projects like the Breakthrough Initiatives, Breakthrough Prize, and Breakthrough Junior Challenge.
The Breakthrough Initiatives
The Breakthrough Initiatives are a suite of scientific programmes that centre on space exploration and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI). These initiatives include Breakthrough Listen, launched in 2015. Listen uses machine learning to help analyse radio telescope data of one million of our closest stars, searching for signs of intelligent life.
The Breakthrough Prize
The Breakthrough Prize is a prestigious annual prize that recognises and celebrates the world’s top scientists for their groundbreaking achievements. Launched in 2012, the prize honours exceptional minds and elevates the public profile of science, encouraging future innovators.
The Breakthrough Junior Challenge
The Breakthrough Junior Challenge is a global competition that encourages teens to engage in science and maths. To enter, young people create engaging videos explaining complex concepts like quantum entanglement. Prizes include a £250,000 post-secondary scholarship, a new science lab for the winner’s school, and $50,000 for a teacher who inspired them.
